Large Microwave Birefringence Liquid-Crystal Characterization for Phase-Shifter Applications

Abstract

This work is concerned with the improvement of a microwave liquid-crystal phase shifter using a large birefringence nematic liquid crystal. This material is a eutectic mixture of isothiocyanatotolane molecules. Microwave dielectric properties are reported and compared to the data obtained with the 5CB cyanobiphenyl material in the 26–40 GHz frequency range using a rectangular waveguide. The phase-shifter design consists of a central cavity, where a liquid crystal is inserted, and two coplanar strip lines accesses. Its dimensions were calculated by electromagnetic simulation, using measured dielectric permittivities of the liquid crystal. The measurements were performed with a commercial Wiltron 3680 K probe test fixture. Phase-shift variations with and without bias voltage versus frequency are presented. As expected, the large-birefringence nematic liquid crystal exhibits a higher microwave dielectric anisotropy (Δε' = 1.06 against 0.34) and the tunability of the phase shifter strongly increases (1.8 deg·cm-1·GHz-1 against 0.8 deg·cm-1·GHz-1).